As part of a major refurbishment of the outpatients department, some 1,800m² of Gerflor’s Taralay Premium Metallica was used to provide a highly practical and aesthetically pleasing flooring solution.

New flooring was needed to replace existing carpet. The brief called for a product which would provide longevity, be easy to clean and cost-effective while looking bright and acting as a design element. Gerflor’s Taralay Premium range fulfilled the brief perfectly, having a wide colour palette with over 100 colour references to choose from.

Working closely with interior design company, Koubou Interiors, Gerflor supplied large sample pieces of flooring to be sure they could stand up to the rigours of the hospital environment. The flooring withstood tests using bleaches, blood, grit, mud and cleaning products. Tests were also conducted to ensure the flooring was suitable for all situations common to hospitals including wheelchair/walking aid use.

Gerflor’s Taralay Premium is a multilayered flooring and was chosen for the hospital because of its extreme durability, high-design options, ease of maintenance and slip resistance. It has a 1mm 100% pure PVC wearlayer (Group T abrasion) so is suitable for high traffic areas. A long lasting appearance is ensured through the incorporation of densely pressed coloured chips in the wearlayer. A Protecsol® surface treatment means no polish is required for the entire lifetime of the product so maintenance costs are reduced.

In all, three colours were used from the Taralay Premium Metallica range. To lead people through the department, the main corridor areas were accented with colourway Energy while the corridor edges, waiting areas and consulting rooms were laid in the darker Cosmic. A circle of=Equinox was used to highlight the nurses’ station. The various elements were welded together to create hygienic and safe joints.

Gilly Craft, Koubou Interior’s managing director, comments: “I wanted to put a design into the floor and Gerflor was fantastic in helping me find the right products. Taralay Premium did everything I wanted it to do in terms of performance and design. The Trust was very impressed and has now ordered the same flooring for other areas within the hospital.”